Caperton Tissot and Skip Murray hold a copy of “Saranac Lake: An Adirondack Portrait” by the Saranac River in August 2023. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

A new book by Skip Murray and Caperton Tissot serves as a very nice paean to the village of Saranac Lake, New York. “Saranac Lake: An Adirondack Portrait,” with its combination of poetry and photography, is clearly a labor of love. Promoted as a record of the community from 2017 through 2023, it combines the sense of a time capsule with a hefty dose of boosterism.

The approach is nothing if not comprehensive. Canoe carries, gently curving streets and avenues, and the river walk are all included. So are forests, stone walls and a sunrise on Lake Flower. People get pictured as members of sports teams, in businesses and local organizations, and as serenely isolated flyfishermen. (“Does he cast for fish or for tranquility?”)

Much of the poetry is quite beautiful, perhaps more so when Tissot is urging appreciation of the abstract qualities of her hometown, rather than simply listing various activities and attributes. She professes her desire to engage all the senses–sounds and smells as well as visual.

Consider this homage to sunset:

Molten lava pours across the sky

Spilling onto the lake

Throwing sparks on her canvas,

Turning it hot and red

Murray’s photographs offer attractive views with ample splashes of color. Boating aficionados can savor images of kayaks on the Saranac River, slowly drifting guideboats, the Adirondack 90-Miler Canoe Race and corrugated cardboard racing craft. For whimsy, consider a dragon fashioned by schoolchildren and snow sculptures of canoers.

I’m pleased that considerable black-and-white photography, with its muted tones, moodiness and space for interpretation, found its way into the book.

Area tradition gets honored. Winter Carnival photos include the signature Ice Palace, and also the Blue Buns Wheel-A-Palooza and Frying Pan Toss. The authors didn’t forget Saranac Lake’s carousel. And for Memorial Day, Tissot penned the following:

Is once a year

Enough to

Honor and mourn

All those who

Gave up families, youth

And their futures

So we could have ours?

Plenty of local residents are featured, as is a large proportion of the village’s commercial, cultural and nonprofit ventures. Though the book brings across the special spirit that animates Saranac Lake, at times this begins to feel like a community directory.

What might be lacking is a bit more historical context. The book could have benefited from a focused introduction to Saranac Lake history, how the settlement was founded, development of the economy, and more. That also might broaden the book’s potential audience.

Still, Saranac Lake well deserves the tribute raised by a volume like this. This book will likely attract a mix of longtime residents, proud of their community and enjoying this piece of nostalgia, and frequent vacationers who want to bring home more than the usual souvenir of their Adirondack stay.